United Methodists of Upper New York News

Celebrating a decade of creation care with EarthKeepers

2026-04-22T13:00:00+00:00

Today is Earth Day, a moment to reflect on how we care for creation and one another. As the Global Ministries EarthKeepers program marks its 10th anniversary, United Methodists across Upper New York are engaging in meaningful, community-based efforts to care for God’s creation.

Global Ministries EarthKeepers is a training program that equips United Methodists in the United States to develop and lead environmental sustainability projects in their communities. Through online learning and hands-on application, participants explore eco-theology, antiracism, climate justice, and community organizing, ultimately designing projects that create measurable environmental impact.

For participants like Betsy Croft, a member of Saint Paul’s UMC in Castleton and of the Upper New York Creation Justice team who completed the training online in 2025, the program offered both a learning opportunity and a sense of connection during a unique season of life.

“Initially, the program drew my attention as a new learning challenge during a season as a full-time caregiver for my mom. The online class drew me into a community of diverse people across the UMC without the need to travel,” Croft said.

That sense of connection and support is a hallmark of the program, as participants are guided by mentors and small groups throughout the process.

“Each EarthKeeper must present a local project to promote ecological and social justice,” Croft explained. “EarthKeepers in training are welcomed into the General Board of Global Ministries Creation Care Network, helped by kind, knowledgeable mentors and a small group for additional support and accountability each step of the way.”

For Betsy, that work took shape through a Wilderness Walking Path project on Mohican land, now in the care of Saint Paul’s UMC/Schodack. Named Mitookwakik, meaning “to/from the trees,” the path invites people to experience God’s presence in the natural world.

Since completing the program, her efforts have expanded through the Upper New York Creation Justice Team and local partnerships, including the Castleton-on-Hudson Climate Smart Communities Task Force and a community Repair Cafe that brings people together to repair items and celebrate the gifts of community and God’s goodness.

“Becoming an EarthKeeper and member of the UNY Creation Care team increased my awareness of the urgent collective need to become good stewards of God’s gift of the Earth.”

At the same time, the program equips participants to lead projects that bring congregations and communities together in meaningful ways.

For Dr. Andrew Hartley, Chair of the Upper New York Creation Justice team and a member of Elma UMC who trained in Georgia in 2018, that connection between church and community is central to the program’s impact.

“Earthkeepers has always been attractive and exciting for me because it equips leaders to bring United Methodist congregations together with their communities to plan and implement environmental projects,” Hartley said.

For Andrew, this work is rooted in a theological understanding of creation care as essential to the life of the Church.

“EarthKeepers is even more important to me due to its focus on tending and keeping this incredible planet God placed in our charge,” he said, pointing to Genesis 2:15.

That emphasis on collaboration is reflected in how environmental work brings churches and communities together around shared concerns.

“Church-and-community collaboration on environmental projects can afford opportunities for each group to learn about the other, and develop a sense that most people are well-intentioned and desire many of the same things: Clean air and water, pesticide-free produce, walkable cities, fair housing practices and so on.”

Beyond project work, the program provides practical tools for organizing and sustaining environmental initiatives, helping participants turn ideas into action.

Rev. Corey Turnpenny, appointed to Church in the Wild, completed the EarthKeepers training in Hartford, CT in 2023 and was commissioned alongside 56 others.

“I was drawn to the EarthKeepers program because I wanted to back up my passion for creation care with some training, and this free course seemed like an incredible gift from the denomination,” Rev. Turnpenny shared.

For Rev. Turnpenny, creation care is foundational to the life of faith and the work of the Church.

“Creation care is the most important work in my view because without a livable planet all the other issues we have to work on won’t matter. We share this planet home with every other living thing, and it is only source of food, water, and shelter we have.”

She also points to the spiritual significance of creation as a way of understanding God’s presence.

“Creation is God's first testament, speaking to us about our Creator. There are so many gifts to be found just outside our doors.”

Through the training, Rev. Turnpenny gained a deeper awareness of the resources already available within the denomination to support this work.

“Attending the EarthKeepers training really opened my eyes to how many resources for creation care already exist within our denomination and how many different agencies are working to answer the Genesis charge.”

She sees EarthKeepers as an important way the denomination puts its commitment into action.

“The EarthKeepers training is one of the main ways our denomination lives out its commitment to Creation care, sending commissioned EarthKeepers back to their communities with concrete plans to develop or expand projects.”

The next EarthKeepers training is scheduled for May 1–16, 2026, and will be offered online as a free opportunity for United Methodists to deepen their engagement in creation care and develop projects that make a difference in their communities.

As the EarthKeepers program enters its second decade, its impact continues to grow, equipping United Methodists to care for creation, strengthen community connections, and live out their faith in tangible, life-giving ways.

For a broader look at how the EarthKeepers initiative is growing across the connection, read the full story from UM News.

Reaching others through “Clean Clothes Connection”

2026-04-20T19:52:00+00:00

Rome First United Methodist Church has a new mission initiative aimed at meeting a practical yet deeply meaningful need in the community through access to clean clothing. The program, called Clean Clothes Connection, is rooted in the belief that small acts of care can restore dignity, build relationships, and open doors for connection.

Rome First UMC purchased $20 laundry gift cards that can be used at any self-service Colonial Laundromat location. The church secured 50 cards, totaling $1,000, while Colonial Laundromat generously contributed an additional five cards to support the mission.

To accompany each gift card, volunteers assembled 55 care packets designed to meet immediate laundry needs. Each packet includes three laundry detergent pods, three dryer sheets, a “You’re Invited” information card about Rome First UMC, and the gift card itself. These thoughtfully prepared packets offer not only practical assistance but also a tangible expression of care and hospitality.

“We are already handing out care packages to people who use a laundromat and need one. Anyone who visits Rome First UMC’s Bakery Pantry or Saturday’s Bounty Free Lunch Ministry is offered a packet,” explained Betty Youmans, Rome First UMC member who serves on the leadership team. Church leaders are also distributing them to Rome’s unhoused population.

Youmans says this mission goes beyond simply providing laundry supplies. Clean clothing can have a profound impact on a person’s sense of self-worth, health, and ability to engage with others. “Whether they’re attending a job interview, seeking services, or simply navigating daily life, the Clean Clothes Connection is designed for them. It’s our way of showing love to all of our neighbors while extending compassion and dignity to those in need.”

Colonial Laundromat’s broader presence also opens the door for expanded impact. With 36 locations across the Upper New York Conference, there is strong potential for other United Methodist congregations to adopt or adapt this model within their own communities.

Those interested in learning more about the Clean Clothes Connection initiative or exploring how to implement a similar program are encouraged to contact Betty Youmans at (315) 292-4070 or email bettyhartzyoumans@yahoo.com.

Through simple partnerships and intentional generosity, Rome First UMC is demonstrating how meeting everyday needs can become a powerful ministry, one load of laundry at a time.

Praying Together, Giving Together

2026-04-14T17:00:00+00:00

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7

Dear Colleagues in Ministry,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Risen Christ.

District Online Pastoral Leaders Gatherings

I write with a grateful heart. When I invited us to gather each week, just thirty minutes, online, in prayer with your Superintendent, I knew how full your calendars already were. Ministry is demanding, and the needs before you rarely pause. And still, more of you are showing up.

Your reflections reveal the gift this is becoming: “Beginning the day in prayer equipped me for what came next.” “Hearing others pray draws me into prayer.” And this: “This is modeling how to do this with others.”

Jesus prayed with his disciples. Prayer was not preparation for his ministry; prayer was his ministry. “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up and prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

This is the pattern we are choosing together.

I invite you—not as a directive, but as part of our covenant—to make this a steady commitment. Join your district’s weekly online prayer gathering unless you are truly prevented, because a community of leaders who pray together depends on our presence.

You can contact your district office for day/time for your district’s prayer time.

Miracle Sunday One-Time Offering

Over the past few months, I have been inviting leaders and congregations across our episcopal area to participate in the Miracle Sunday offering. This initiative responds to a significant global leadership gap: while more than 70% of U.S. clergy hold a theological degree, fewer than 5% of clergy outside the United States do. This disparity affects pastoral formation, congregational vitality, and the future of our worldwide connection.

By uniting in prayer and generous giving, we can strengthen theological schools in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines and to equip emerging pastors for generations to come.

I pray that every pastoral leader in the Susquehanna and Upper New York Area will give generously to the Miracle Sunday offering. Not out of obligation, but with gratitude for all those who invested in our own calling, formation, and ministry. What matters most is that all of us participate and encourage our congregations to do the same. Each gift, offered with joy and according to capacity, becomes part of something far greater than any of us could accomplish alone.

You can learn more about the Miracle Sunday Offering here.

I am grateful we are together on this journey,

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez
The United Methodist Church
Serving the Susquehanna and Upper New York Episcopal Area